Fan frame structure

ABSTRACT

A fan frame structure includes a frame body. An outer circumference of the frame body is formed with at least one locking hole. A reinforcement member is correspondingly disposed in the locking hole. The reinforcement member is formed with a through hole. By means of the structural design of the fan frame structure, the structural strength of the fan frame body is greatly enhanced so that the damage ratio of the frame body is lowered.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a fan frame structure, and more particularly to a fan frame structure, in which the structural strength of the fan frame body is greatly enhanced and the damage ratio of the fan frame body is lowered.

2. Description of the Related Art

It is known that in operation, the electronic components in an electronic apparatus will generate heat. Therefore, the electronic apparatus necessitates passive heat dissipation unit to enhance heat dissipation efficiency so as to prevent the electronic components from burning down due to overheating. The heat dissipation unit is mainly a radiating fin assembly or a heat sink. However, the heat dissipation performance provided by the heat dissipation unit for the electronic component is limited. Therefore, the heat dissipation unit is assembled with at least one active fan. The fan serves to forcedly dissipate the heat of the heat dissipation unit so as to enhance the heat dissipation performance as a whole. The fan is directly connected with the heat dissipation unit or via a fixing support. Multiple locking members are used to secure the fan on the heat dissipation unit.

Please refer to FIG. 1, which shows a conventional fan frame structure 1. The fan frame structure 1 includes a frame body 10. Each of four corners of the frame body 10 is formed with a perforation 11. Multiple screws are passed through the perforations 11 to lock the frame body 10 on a fixing support so as to connect the fan with a heat dissipation unit. However, the fan frame body 10 is made of plastic material. Therefore, when mounting and locking the frame body 10 on the fixing support or during a reworking process, in case an excessively great force is applied to the frame body 10, the frame body 10 is apt to break or damage. As a result, the entire frame body will be ruined and cannot be further used.

In conclusion, the conventional fan frame structure has the following shortcomings:

1. The structural strength of the fan frame body is quite poor.

2. The frame body is apt to damage.

It is therefore tried by the applicant to provide a fan frame structure, in which the structural strength of the fan frame body is greatly enhanced and the damage ratio of the fan frame body is lowered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a fan frame structure, in which the structural strength of the fan frame body is greatly enhanced.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above the fan frame structure, in which the damage ratio of the fan frame body is greatly lowered.

To achieve the above and other objects, the fan frame structure of the present invention includes a frame body. An outer circumference of the frame body is formed with at least one locking hole. A reinforcement member is correspondingly disposed in the locking hole. The reinforcement member is formed with a through hole.

By means of the structural design of the fan frame structure, the frame body of the fan can be mated and assembled with a heat dissipation unit via a fixing support. Multiple locking members are correspondingly locked in the through holes of the reinforcement members and passed through the fixing support, whereby the fan is securely locked on the fixing support. The locking members are locked in the reinforcement members of the frame body so that the frame body is prevented from being broken due to over-forcing. Accordingly, by means of the arrangement of the reinforcement members, the structural strength of the fan frame body is greatly enhanced so that the damage ratio of the frame body is lowered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional fan frame body;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the frame body of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the first embodiment of the fan frame structure of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of the fan frame structure of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the frame body of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective sectional view of the second embodiment of the frame body of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective sectional view of a third embodiment of the frame body of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective exploded view of a second embodiment of the fan frame structure of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 2 to 4. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the frame body of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the first embodiment of the fan frame structure of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of the fan frame structure of the present invention. The fan frame structure of the present invention has a frame body 2. The frame body 2 has a base seat 22 and a circumferential wall 24. A bearing cup 23 upward extends from a center of the base seat 22. A fan impeller 5 is correspondingly pivotally disposed on the bearing cup 23. In this embodiment, the frame body 2 is, but not limited to, a rectangular frame body for illustration purposes. In practice, the frame body 2 can be alternatively a circular frame body 2. The frame body 2 further has a first side 20 and a second side. At least one locking hole 25 is formed on each of four corners of the first side 20. The locking hole 25 is correspondingly formed through the frame body 2 between each of four corners of the first side 20 and each of four corners of the second side 21. The base seat 22 is formed on the second side 21. A reinforcement member 3 is correspondingly disposed in the locking hole 25. The reinforcement member 3 is in the form of a hollow cylindrical body formed with a through hole 31. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the reinforcement member 3 is disposed in the locking hole 25 by means of insert injection molding (or insertion, engagement or press fit). The reinforcement member 3 is made of metal material so that the reinforcement member 3 itself has high structural strength.

In addition, it should be noted that the reinforcement member 3 can be flush with the circumferential wall 24. Alternatively, in a modified embodiment, the reinforcement member 3 can be slightly lower than or higher than the circumferential wall 24. To speak more specifically, the reinforcement member 3 can be exposed to outer side of the circumferential wall 24 of the frame body 2 (as shown in FIG. 2). Alternatively, the reinforcement member 3 can be enclosed in the circumferential wall (as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, which show a second embodiment of the frame body of the present invention).

Please now refer to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a perspective sectional view of a third embodiment of the frame body of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective exploded view of a second embodiment of the fan frame structure of the present invention. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that an inner circumferential wall of the reinforcement member 3 is further formed with an inner thread 30 (as shown in FIG. 7). An outer circumferential wall of the locking member 4 is formed with an outer thread 40 (as shown in FIG. 8). The locking member 4 is correspondingly locked in the through hole 31 of the reinforcement member 3 with the outer thread 40 correspondingly screwed with the inner thread 30. By means of the inner and outer threads 30, 40, the fan can be more securely fixed.

Therefore, by means of the structural design of the present invention, the frame body 2 of the fan can be mated and assembled with a heat dissipation unit 7 via a fixing support 6. Multiple locking members 4 are correspondingly locked in the through holes 31 of the reinforcement members 3 and passed through the fixing support 6, whereby the fan is securely locked on the fixing support 6. The locking members 4 are locked in the reinforcement members 3 of the frame body 2 so that the frame body 2 is prevented from being broken due to over-forcing. Accordingly, by means of the arrangement of the reinforcement members 3, the structural strength of the fan frame body 2 is greatly enhanced so that the damage ratio of the frame body 2 is lowered.

In conclusion, in comparison with the conventional fan frame structure, the present invention has the following advantages:

1. The structural strength of the fan frame body is greatly enhanced.

2. The damage ratio of the fan frame body is greatly lowered.

The present invention has been described with the above embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in such as the form or layout pattern or practicing step of the above embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fan frame structure comprising a frame body, an outer circumference of the frame body being formed with at least one locking hole, a reinforcement member being correspondingly disposed in the locking hole, the reinforcement member being formed with a through hole.
 2. The fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcement member is disposed in the locking hole by means of insert injection molding, insertion, engagement or press fit.
 3. The fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcement member is in the form of a hollow cylindrical body.
 4. The fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcement member is made of metal material.
 5. The fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one locking member correspondingly locked in the through hole of the reinforcement member.
 6. The fan frame structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein an inner circumferential wall of the reinforcement member is further formed with multiple inner threads and an outer circumferential wall of the locking member is further formed with multiple outer threads correspondingly screwed with the inner threads.
 7. The fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame body has a base seat and a circumferential wall, a bearing cup upward extending from a center of the base seat, a fan impeller being correspondingly pivotally disposed on the bearing cup.
 8. The fan frame structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the frame body further has a first side and a second side, the locking hole being formed on each of four corners of the first side, the locking hole being correspondingly formed through the frame body between each of four corners of the first side and each of four corners of the second side, the base seat being formed on the second side.
 9. The fan frame structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the reinforcement member is flush with the circumferential wall or enclosed in the circumferential wall. 